Legislation Update Table
This table provides a quick update about the stage and progress of bills through Parliament.
| Legislation | Stage and Progress | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Care of Children Law Reform Bill | Members’ Bill (Jacinda Ardern, Labour). Introduced 30 August 2012. | Bill requires the Law Commission to update earlier reviews on adoption laws and Minister of Justice to draft. |
| Child Support Amendment Bill | Government Bill. Introduced October 2011. Reinstated. Submissions closed 20 June 2012. Reported back 31 October. Passed. | Reforms Child Support Act. Introduces new formula for calculating child support taking into account shared care and total income of both parents. |
| Consumer Law Reform Bill | Government Bill. Submissions closed 29 March. Select committee report was due 9 August, delayed until 2 October. Reported back. Second reading 11 December 2012. | Introduces a number of reforms to existing consumer laws. |
| Education Amendment Bill | Government Bill. First reading 18 October. Submissions to Education and Science Committee closed. Reported back. Second Reading. | Establishes framework for charter or “partnership” schools. |
| Employment Relations Amendment Bill | Government Bill. Introduced 26 April 2013. | Introduces number of changes to existing employment legislation. |
| Employment Relations (Statutory Minimum Redundancy Entitlements) Amendment Bill | Members’ Bill (Sue Moroney, Labour). Introduced 8 November 2012. First Reading 15 May (interrupted). | Introduces minimum statutory entitlements to employees made redundant |
| Families Commission Amendment Bill | Government Bill. Introduced 28 May 2012. Reported back 13 November 2012. | Reforms and restructures Families Commission. |
| Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill | Government Bill. Submissions to Justice and Electoral committee closed. Report due 4 June 2013. |
Introduces reforms to make family justice system simpler and more accessible. |
| Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill | Members’ Bill (Te Ururoa Flavell). Introduced September 2010. Reinstated. Received first reading 4 April 2012. Submissions closed 21 June 2012. Report was due 9 November, then delayed until 29 March, but now further delayed until 4 June. | Strengthens the powers of local communities to decide where pokie machines will be sited, and how the profits from the machines will be distributed. |
| Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Bill | Government Bill. Introduced 16 May. Submissions to Social Services Committee close 30 May. | Aims to improve housing affordability by increasing the supply of land. |
| Human Rights Amendment Bill | Government Bill. Introduced 13 October 2011. Reinstated into this Parliament. First reading of Bill 29 November (interrupted). | Establishes position of full-time Disability Commissioner within the Human Rights Commission. |
| Lobbying Disclosure Bill | Members’ Bill (Holly Walker, Green Party). Bill passed first reading 25 July. Referred to Select Committee. Bill referred to Government Administration committee. Submissions close closed 5 October 2012. Report was due 28 January 2013, now delayed until 26 July 2013. | Bill requires paid lobbyists to register, abide by Code of Ethics and disclose which MPs they meet with |
| Local Electoral Amendment Bill (No. 2) | Government Bill. Introduced 15 October 2012. Referred to Justice and Electoral committee. Reported back. Moving through Committee stages. | Introduces changes to electoral donations for local government elections. |
| Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Bill | Government Bill. Introduced at the end of the last Parliament. Submissions closed 18 May. Select committee report was due 28 September 2012, then 23 November. Report now further delayed until 28 June 2013. | Establishes a new framework for setting the salaries and allowances of MPs and Ministers. |
| New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill (No 2) | Government Bill. Introduced under urgency 16 May. | Introduces and clarifies the Government’s policy as to who will be eligible for funding to pay people caring for a disabled family member and in what circumstances funding will be paid. |
| Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months Paid Leave) Amendment Bill | Member’s Bill (Sue Moroney, Labour). Bill passed first reading 25 July. Bill referred to Government Administration committee. Submissions closed 5 October 2012. Report was due 25 January 2013, now delayed until 9 August 2013. | Extends paid parental leave from 14 weeks to 26 weeks |
| Privacy (Information Sharing) Bill | Government Bill. Submissions closed 23 March. Reported back. Bill divided in final stages and passed. | Removes the requirement that a threat is imminent, meaning agencies may share information if they believe there is a serious threat to safety. |
| Public Health Bill | Originally a Labour Government Bill. Reported back from select committee. Reinstated in 2008 at beginning of last parliament, has been carried over and reinstated again into current Parliament. | Revises public health legislation including border protection and quarantine provisions. |
| Public Safety (Public Protection Orders) Bill | Government Bill introduced 18 September. | Empowers the High Court to issue a public protection order to further detain a person after the end of their sentence if they pose a high risk of reoffending. |
| Royal Succession Bill | Government Bill. Introduced 19 February 2013. | Provides successon to the British throne no longer to be based on gender. |
| Social Housing Reform (Housng Restructuring and Tenancy Matters Amendment) Bill | Government Bill. Introduced 16 May. Submissions to Social Services Committee close 27 June. | Introduces some of the housing initiatives announced as part of the 2013 Budget. |
| Taxation (Income Sharing Tax Credit) Bill | Government Bill. Introduced 16 August 2010. Reported back March 2011. Reinstated. | Introduces income splitting for families with children under 18. |
| Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Bill | Government Bill. Introduced 20 February 2013. | Creates a new offence aimed at the partners of welfare beneficiaries convicted of welfare fraud. |
| Victims of Crime Reform Bill | Government Bill. Introduced October 2011. Reinstated. Submissions closed 17 February 2012. Reported back | Gives victims of serious crime automatic right to read victim impact statements in court, introduces changes to Victim Notification System. |